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4/22/2004
The Ottawa Senators fired head coach Jacques Martin, two days after the team was eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Assistant coaches Don Jackson, Phil Myre and Randy Lee were also relieved of their duties while Perry Pearn was retained, however, GM John Muckler says he will not be a candidate for the head coaching position.
"We felt that we had to go in a new direction, to get a new voice in the dressing room. I think some of the blame has to sit in the dressing room, but its the oldest cliche in our industry, you can't fire 29 people."
"Is it right, sometimes it's not but I know one thing that's right, we needed a change."
Muckler added that he has not ruled out making changes to the lineup, but those won't happen immediately.
"I just feel we need somebody to come in and take us over the top of the mountain."
Martin and goaltender Patrick Lalime were singled out in Tuesday's Game 7 loss, the fourth time in five year the Senators have been eliminated by the Maple Leafs.
"Martin is a great NHL coach and a terrific guy but, when you lose as many times to the same team over and over again in a year when you're supposed to get to the Stanley Cup final and maybe win it, that's a likely change," said NHL on TSN hockey analyst Bob Mackenzie immediately following Tuesday night's loss.
Martin has been head coach of the Senators for the past eight years and following Paul Maurice's dismissal this season in Carolina, he became the longest serving head coach in the NHL. He signed a two-year contract extension with the Senators in January, which included an option for a third year if there was a lockout this fall.
Martin compiled a record of 341 wins, 249 losses and 96 ties in the regular season. However, he could not translate that regular season success into the post-season, finishing with a 31-38 playoff won-loss record.
The former NHL coach of the year guided the Senators to three division titles, the President's trophy and reached the conference finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs last season.
No immediate replacement was named, but Muckler said the job is "wide open" and whomever is hired will have to "fix our dressing room".
"We have to find more leadership coming out of that dressing room, he's going to have to develop that," said Muckler of the next head coach. "I think there can be some improvement in the attack part of our game, yet keep the defensive part of the game together."
Among the names expected to receive consideration for the position is former St. Louis Blues coach Joel Quenneville, New Jersey Devils special assistant Larry Robinson and Detroit Red Wings assistant coach Barry Smith.
The Ottawa Senators fired head coach Jacques Martin, two days after the team was eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Assistant coaches Don Jackson, Phil Myre and Randy Lee were also relieved of their duties while Perry Pearn was retained, however, GM John Muckler says he will not be a candidate for the head coaching position.
"We felt that we had to go in a new direction, to get a new voice in the dressing room. I think some of the blame has to sit in the dressing room, but its the oldest cliche in our industry, you can't fire 29 people."
"Is it right, sometimes it's not but I know one thing that's right, we needed a change."
Muckler added that he has not ruled out making changes to the lineup, but those won't happen immediately.
"I just feel we need somebody to come in and take us over the top of the mountain."
Martin and goaltender Patrick Lalime were singled out in Tuesday's Game 7 loss, the fourth time in five year the Senators have been eliminated by the Maple Leafs.
"Martin is a great NHL coach and a terrific guy but, when you lose as many times to the same team over and over again in a year when you're supposed to get to the Stanley Cup final and maybe win it, that's a likely change," said NHL on TSN hockey analyst Bob Mackenzie immediately following Tuesday night's loss.
Martin has been head coach of the Senators for the past eight years and following Paul Maurice's dismissal this season in Carolina, he became the longest serving head coach in the NHL. He signed a two-year contract extension with the Senators in January, which included an option for a third year if there was a lockout this fall.
Martin compiled a record of 341 wins, 249 losses and 96 ties in the regular season. However, he could not translate that regular season success into the post-season, finishing with a 31-38 playoff won-loss record.
The former NHL coach of the year guided the Senators to three division titles, the President's trophy and reached the conference finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs last season.
No immediate replacement was named, but Muckler said the job is "wide open" and whomever is hired will have to "fix our dressing room".
"We have to find more leadership coming out of that dressing room, he's going to have to develop that," said Muckler of the next head coach. "I think there can be some improvement in the attack part of our game, yet keep the defensive part of the game together."
Among the names expected to receive consideration for the position is former St. Louis Blues coach Joel Quenneville, New Jersey Devils special assistant Larry Robinson and Detroit Red Wings assistant coach Barry Smith.
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